In the first hour of this week’s Saturday Night Blues, Ottawa roots artist Terry Gillespie drops by the studio to play some original music. Gillespie performed in Detroit in the late ’60s, meeting and sharing the stage with legends like Howlin' Wolf and Buddy Guy. His legacy on the Canadian music scene began in the 1970s with the group Heaven's Radio. Gillespie shares many intimate stories of those years during this visit, and his philosophy of the blues.
In the second hour, host Holger Petersen sits down with two extraordinary musicians, guitarist Rick Holmstrom and drummer Stephen Hodges. Holmstrom has had a successful solo career, noted for his fearless broadening of the blues landscape. Hodges has done the same as a first call session player, and for his creative work with John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite and, most notably, Tom Waits.
Together, Holmstrom and Hodges are two-thirds of the recording and touring rhythm section with music legend Mavis Staples.
Check out this video of a live performance with Staples, Hodges, and Holmstrom.
Saturday Night Blues airs Saturdays on CBC Radio 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. and on CBC Radio One from 9 to 11 p.m.
Related Links:
Buddy Guy autobiography, When I Left Home, credits Canadian fans
Take a tour of Canadian roots and blues festivals
Mavis Staples relates to Bob Dylan